This will mark my 11 th month being vegan. December is my year anniversary. I went vegan for health reasons, not for the animal cruelty reason. HOWEVER, the only reason I didn’t go because of animal cruelty is because I could NEVER watch something like that and eat again and I know it. I love animals and if that makes me sound foolish or ignorant to the vegan world, I’m sorry.  Anyway, vegan opinions set aside, I made the rash choice after watching the movie Forks over Knives. It made sense to me to eat a diet more based on things grown then things processed, it still does. God knows when I started and throw out some stuff in my pantry, these items could have survived a nuclear war they were so processed. That’s what I was eating.

It was hard at first because I didn’t know what to eat so I found Veestro a vegan meal delivery company. I used that to substitute between my meals prepared. I ate a lot of rice and beans in those early months until I realized I have to start cooking. So slowly I did, I started making one dish a week then two and now I make all my food without any frozen meal help.

At first I lost weight which was a nice plus but that changed when I found vegan cookies. The biggest change was in my digestive system. I, having MS, have had major problems in this area for years. I’d have to take laxatives each week to go to the bathroom. It was so unhealthy but it was partly due to my diet and partly due to the muscle weakness in the area that I can’t control. I was going to see a specialist and the appointment got cancelled right at the start of me becoming vegan and something miraculous happened. I started having no problem. My system reset and I NEVER needed a laxative again, until October. I don’t know why, but it’s not working anymore. It seems like each week the days in between become more and more and once again I’m at a week feeling bloated and lousy, forced to take a laxative.

It could of course be the MS and not the vegan diet but I don’t know. Do I stay vegan if it’s not working? The vegan diet is challenging and annoying at times. It would be easier if I went back to a regular diet. Yet,  I know I can NEVER go back to eating what I was.  I will be a revised vegan. I might add in fish once in a while but that’s it. No dairy, no meats and no eggs.  No dairy except I still use half and half in my coffee even now.  I learned that i like cooking and preparing my own meals. I like being able to say no to dessert at a restaurant because it’s not vegan. I like the fact that I make healthier choices for my body. That in the end is the reason why I became vegan. I just hope the dietary issues reset once again.